The terror attacks in Surabaya show a change in the attack pattern of sympathizers of the Islamic State (IS) ideology, this time using children. Police arrested a number of suspected terrorists in several cities.
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SURABAYA, KOMPAS — The National Police\'s Densus 88 counterterrorism squad raided a number of hideouts and activities of suspected terrorists on Monday (5/14). The raids were conducted in Surabaya, Sidoarjo, Pasuruan and Malang, East Java. Up to 13 people were arrested.
The raids were carried out to prevent further terror attacks after the bombings at three churches on Sunday morning, at the Wonocolo low-cost apartments (Rusunawa) in Sidoarjo on Sunday night and finally at Surabaya Police headquarters on Monday morning.
East Java Police public relations division head Comr. Frans Barung Mangera said of the 13 people arrested, four were shot dead for resisting the officers. The suspected terrorists were arrested in Surabaya and Sidoarjo.
The dead suspected terrorists included Anton Ferdiantono and Budi Satrio, both in Sidoarjo. Budi was an important figure of Jamaah Ansharut Daulah (JAD) in Surabaya, and officers found explosives in his home after a search. The other two dead suspected terrorists were identified only as MA, 47, a Malang Post Office employee, and his wife, SR, 49.
In Malang, a search of the couple\'s house was conducted on Monday.
Rising death toll
East Java Police chief Insp. Gen. Machfud Arifin said the death toll in the bomb blasts at the three churches, the Surabaya Police headquarters and Wonocolo Rusunawa had reached 28.
The death toll included 13 bombing perpetrators, consisting of six family members of Dita Oepriyanto (a suspect in the three church bombings), three family members of Anton Ferdianto (allegedly the owner of the bombs in Wonocolo Rusunawa) and four members of the family of Tri Murtiono (a suspect in the bomb blast in Surabaya Police headquarters).
Of the 15 other bomb blast victims, 12 have been identified and their bodies returned to their respective families. The three remaining victims are still being identified by the National Police Disaster Victims Identification team.
Fifty-seven victims who sustained injuries are currently undergoing medical treatment Bhayangkara Samsoeri Mertojoso Hospital and Dr Soetomo Hospital, among others.
Separately, President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo in the events he attended on Monday urged all parties to pray for the victims of terrorist acts. The President also invited all parties to fight against radicalism and terrorism.
The invitation was disclosed by the President during the opening of the National Coordination Meeting for the Development of Village, Central and Regional Governments in 2018. A similar remark was made by President Jokowi at the closing ceremony of the Indonesian Justice and Unity Party (PKPI) Congress in Cipayung, East Jakarta.
Then, in front of participants of the Halakah Nasional (meeting) of Hubbul Wathan and the Declaration of the National Movement of Mubaligh Bela Negara (State Defending Ulemas), at the Haj Dormitory, Jakarta, the President again asked mubaligh (ulemas) to help people avoid violence, be polite, have a good perspective and think with love and positivity. In that way, according to the President, the Indonesian nation can maintain cultural diversity.
In Surabaya, National Police chief Gen. Tito Karnavian explained that the four terror attacks in Surabaya, which were carried out by two families, proved to be a change in the way IS attacked, namely by using children. "The terror attacks using children were the first ever to take place in Indonesia," he said.
Muhammadiyah central executive board chairman Haedar Nasir said at a press conference at the executive board office of Muhammadiyah Yogyakarta that the handling of terrorism must be done comprehensively and could not be carried out only with law enforcement. "The approach and actions against terrorism must be strong — legally, comprehensively and objectively," Haedar said.
World condemnation
The bomb attacks in Surabaya have been condemned by a number of world leaders and international agencies. Australian Prime Minister Malcolm Turnbull in Canberra strongly denounced the terror attacks, as reported by Kompas correspondent in Brisbane Harry Bhaskara.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres said he was shocked by the attacks, especially in how children were involved. From Tehran, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Bahram Qassemi also strongly condemned the suicide bombings in Surabaya.
Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono, through a letter sent to his counterpart, Foreign Minister Retno Lestari Priansari Marsudi, said he was shocked and angry at the terror attacks in Surabaya, calling it tyranny.
A Kompas journalist in Cairo, Mustafa Abd Rahman, reported that Egyptian Mufti Syauqi Allam strongly condemned the bomb attacks at the three churches in Surabaya. The mufti asserted that the actions carried out by the radical groups and terrorists was haram in the view of sharia and was contrary to its maqashid (goals).
In the country, condemnation of terrorism was also expressed by Gerindra Party chairman Prabowo Subianto in a speech at Andhang Pangrenan Park, Purwokerto, Central Java.